A Coat Of Red
by Emma C.C.S
Summary: Joffrey didn't set aside Sansa and rejected Margaery's wish of marriage. Now, Sansa must learn to be the Queen the Realm needs.


I.

"As beautiful as you might be, Lady Margaery, I cannot marry you when I'm promised to another."

Joffrey's words stung like needles on her skin, and the smile he directed at her soon after those words left her fearing again. Sansa had thought, when Margaery stepped forward, that Joffrey would put her aside and marry the gorgeous Tyrell girl, freeing her from his clutches.

She allowed herself to hope, once again, when Cersei and Grand Maester Pycelle advised the King in the prudency of setting aside the disgraced daughter of a traitor in favor of the Tyrell maiden. Again, Joffrey refused.

"Sansa's father might have been a traitor, but I have come to love her nonetheless," said the King with false sentiment overtaking his voice. "If I were to marry you, my Lady Tyrell, I fear I would never come to love you and I refuse to subject a beauty such as yours to a false marriage and a loveless bond."

The court applauded the King's words and Sansa almost retched whatever food she had eaten that morning. How could they be so blind as to believe Joffrey loved her when they had seen her beaten by Ser Meryn Trant by the King's orders?

_They are fools, just like I was. They only want the King's favour, just as I did._

With the King's statement of their impending marriage, Cersei felt she was needed at her side and sent the Hound to get her to the Throne.

As the fierce Kingsguard of Joffrey lead her (gently, if Sansa might notice) to the Queen Regent, Sansa felt the Lady Margaery's eyes over her. Instead of seeing jealousy or envy, Sansa only saw pity in the big brown eyes of the Tyrell girl.

Lady Margaery knew what kind of monster Joffrey was and still had wanted to marry him. Sansa didn't understand. Was the prospect of being Queen so good for Margaery Tyrell, that she would marry the cruel King?

Sansa began playing with the sleeves of her dress, made in the same style as the Queen's but in more sedate colors of grey and silver, the Stark colors. As she played with the dress, she thought about Margaery Tyrell even more.

Mayhaps she should meet her just to ask her about wanting to marry Joffrey.

"Little dove, your dress is beginning to unthread," the Queen Regent said in her usual, sweetly cruel tone.

"Pardon me, Your Grace," Sansa whispered. "I'm confused as to why the King would prefer me, a disgraced daughter, instead of the beautiful maiden that Lady Margaery is."

She saw Cersei turn her green eyes towards Lady Margaery, surely criticizing the poor girl in her mind. It was a surprise, though, when the Queen held her hand on her larger one.

"She might be beautiful, Sansa, but she does not hold the North and Joffrey knows it."

"Yes, Your Grace," she said politely, lying trough her teeth and begging the Gods forgiveness for her next words. "I will thank to the King for giving me the honor of marrying him, by giving him heirs to the Throne and to Winterfell."

Once again, Sansa felt the pity on Lady Margaery's eyes, but it didn't unnerve her as much as the hand of the Queen still grabbing her left hand, almost comfortingly.

"You have much to learn, Sansa," Cersei said softly while they both clapped at Joffrey's mercy towards the captured Stannis Baratheon. "But you might yet become a good wife for my son."

Sansa didn't know what to say, and as they fell still again, she could only thank Cersei again.

"Yes, Your Grace. Thank you for your kind words, Your Grace."

**II.**

"You can't kill Stannis Baratheon after granting him a pardon in front of the court," said Cersei to her son while the whole Lannister House broke their fast in company of Sansa.

She could see Tywin Lannister's hard eyes over his daughter, as if wondering if she would or wouldn't give any good advice to the King. Sansa though no matter the advice, Joffrey would do as he pleased. He showed that when he didn't accept Margaery's offer.

"I am the King," he said in almost a scream. "I can do whatever I want and people only have to obey me."

Tywin Lannister set his gaze on Joffrey now, as he noticed Cersei bowing her head to Joffrey. Sansa had noticed that about the Queen; no matter how hard she might appear, a few words from her firstborn son had her cowering like a cat instead of the lion she was suppossed to be. With a shiver, Sansa asked herself if she acted more the part of the cub than the part of the direwolf.

Maybe... If she were stronger, more willful, like Arya had been... But no, that wouldn't work with Joffrey, would it?

"What your mother means, Your Grace," said Tyrion Lannister as he poured himself more wine. "Is that you are an idiot if you go back on your word," Sansa was worried by the Imp's words to Joffrey. If the King was to get angry, she was the one who suffer his fury. He might not be the trueborn son of Robert Baratheon, but the fury of the Stormlands' House was still present in the King.

"You dare to speak to your King like that, Imp?" Joffrey asked, yelling. "I could have your head severed from your little body and nobody would lift a finger to stop me, you understand?"

Tyrion, fortunately, stayed quiet as he saw Cersei smiling and Lord Twyin's boredom. Sansa felt pity for him, but she knew nobody liked pity and instead focused on eating the Dornish eggs the King had ordered her to eat. _Maybe that would heat your blood for me to fuck you, Sansa_, he had told her as the servants brought their food.

Well, the Dornish eggs might have done nothing for her blood, but she needed to try out her plan. Even if Joffrey had her beaten for her boldness, she would have at least given him a reason for it this time.

"If I may, Your Grace," she said in a quiet but firm voice, noticing the eyes of the older Lannisters on her, no doubt surprised at her interference, for she always remained silent. "Going back on your word would be unwise. Stannis is your hostage, one with blood as royal as yours. Surely, you would grant your uncle a mercy and his rightful seat at Dragonstone."

She noticed Tyrion Lannister looking at her with interest, Tywin Lannister with suspicion and Cersei with a mix of disgust and pride.

"He is spreading rumours about you and your siblings, but why listen to them, if you know the truth?" Sansa continued with her polite voice and steady gaze. Joffrey's eyes narrowed, but she knew him enough to know he was considering what he said. "Offer him your forgiveness for his treason if he returns to Dragonstone and rules as Lord of the East. Have your cousin Shireen be brought to the Red Keep to ensure his loyalty and to encourage him to give more sons to the Baratheon bloodline."

Everyone, even little plump Tommen looked at her and Joffrey nodded slowly.

"It seems you are more than just a pretty face and a cunt to fuck, Sansa," Joffrey said as shrewd as ever, but Sansa ignored his comment.

She felt a bit more confident in herself now, and as the Queen Regent and her brother continued their bickering and Joffrey headed Tywin's further advice on the matter, Sansa thanked the Gods. When she was a little child she had dreamed of being married to a gallant and kind Prince, be named a Queen and having little princes and princesses to the pride of her husband.

Right now, she had only a King who has neither gallant or kind, but if she could find her voice and be heard, who said she couldn't have the rest of her dream? And mayhaps, if she learned to be heard, she could get Robb and her family a pardon, too.

**III.**

The following days she sat at court more often that not along with the Queen Regent.

"If you are to be Joffrey's Queen, you might as well learn," Cersei had said to her after ordering her to attend court with the King.

Sansa had complied and sat besides the King in a small bench similar to Cersei's. She was pleased to note that the Queen Regent recognised her tries, she hoped she could accomplish even more.

Lord Tywin had made sure she was not beaten anymore and Sansa thought it might have been because he saw something worthy on her, though she wasn't sure if something worthy for the Lannisters was honorable at all.

"Don't dissappoint me, child," the Lord Hand told her the first time she sat court with Joffrey. "You might yet become the Queen my daughter never learned to be."

Sansa didn't know how to respond, but Lord Tywin didn't need an answer and promptly assumed his position besides Joffrey, offering counsel in whispers whenever Joffrey became too reckless.

One day, about a fortnight since Stannis' invasion and capture, Sansa saw Margaery Tyrell again.

This time the young lady was dressed more modestly, no doubt because she had not been able to pursue and seduce the King, Sansa thought, but still she looked as beautiful as a maiden from the songs.

"Your Grace," Lady Margaery said before the King with a deep curtsy. "My petition to become your betrothed was denied in favour of the beautiful Lady Stark, and so I come and ask of you to allow my stay here to be longer so I can find a worthy husband."

Sansa almost raised an eyebrow at the Lady Margaery's request. A lady as beautiful and highborn as her should not be having trouble in finding a husband. Most of all being the only daughter of the Lord of Highgarden. But before Joffrey could answer her, she stood and walked towards him, whispering to him and softly kissing his cheek as she retreated.

Joffrey looked confused at her sudden display, but as nobody else had noticed, Sansa didn't worry.

She kept looking at Joffrey until he regained his composure and answered Lady Margaery.

"My future Queen has asked me to grant your wish, Lady Margaery, and she would like to extend and invitation to you to be one of her ladies in waiting."

After the thankfull words from the girl, Cersei approached Sansa.

"I don't know if you are foolish or wise in this decision, Sansa," Cersei said, grabbing Sansa's arm as they left the court. "Margaery Tyrell could very well lose herself in the Red Keep and end up in my son's chambers. Don't you fear that?"

Sansa smiled at the Queen. Some part of her wanted Margaery to do precisely that so Joffrey freed her from their betrothal, but that wasn't the reason for her choice.

"The Tyrells have food and gold, Your Grace," Sansa said. "Winter is coming, and King's Landing will not endure without their harvest."

The reason seemed to sit well with the Queen, but Sansa hadn't been truthfull with her. She wanted to know why Margaery wanted to be in King's Landing so much.

It was the next morning when she met with her and with the couple of Tyrell cousins who had remained with Lady Margaery.

Sansa took on her southern dress and compared it with her own, more befitting of a lady of the Westerlands. She thought that, perhaps, having northern clothing made in lighter fabrics would be a nice touch to remind everyone that she was of the North, that she might be a prisoner but she's still a lady of House Stark, a direwolf.

"Lady Sansa," Margaery said as she curtsied, her cousins doing the same.

Surprisingly for Sansa, they got on well and broke their fast in a polite and youthful conversation about the knights of King's Landing. No doubt, Margaery knew her true intentions, but Sansa had to wait until the older girl talked. She would be patient, as she had been with Joffrey.

Soon, her wait met an end.

"I know why you spoke on my behalf, Lady Sansa," Margaery said as she ate a peach from the Reach. Sansa had tried some, but found them too sweet for her tastes, having a preference for the sweet but tart oranges and grapefruits from Dorne. "And you don't need to worry. My goal now has changed and King Joffrey is not it anymore."

Sansa nodded. She had already assumed that, but hearing it from Margaery was a good reassurance.

"What I really want to know, is why to try for him if you know of his deeds and misdeeds."

They both exchanged sweet smiles, each considering how much truth should be said.

"He beat me everyday for the dumbest reasons," said Sansa calmly, with her eyes of steel and face of ivory. "You knew and still wanted him. Is a throne and crown worth living a life as his prisoner?"

Lady Margaery smiled condescendingly and Sansa felt herself blush. She didn't want to be thought of as ignorant, and the look Margaery was giving her said she was being worse than that.

"Sweet Sansa," she started, caressing Sansa's cheek and making her somewhat uncomfortable at her proximity. "You will be Queen. Only one person will be above you, and to control _him_ you will need every one of those who are beneath you. You are gentle, Sansa. Use that to win your people, and your people will give the power to you."

Margaery stood and curtsied to Sansa, leaving her pondering what the older girl had said. She already had Tywin Lannister's attention for helping with Joffrey; maybe she really could have some power over them.

With that in mind, Sansa went to the godswood to pray.


End file.
